Spike-extractor



(No Model.)

A WELSH SPIKE BXTRAGTOR. X

Patented Dec. 29, 1896. v

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES,

PATENT Grrrcn.

ARTEMUS IVELSH, OF LAWVRENCE, KANSAS.

SPlKE-EXTRACTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 573,943, datedDecember 29, 1896. Application filed August 14, 1896. Serial No.602,802. (No model.)

To all. whom it nut concern:

. Beitknown that I, ARTEMUS WELSH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State of Kansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spike-Extractors; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention,

such as will enable others to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The object of the invention is, first, to increase power of the lever inclosing the oscillating jaws upon the spike, and, second, to prevent theaction of the jaws from being retarded when the leverage is applied toextract the spike.

My invention consists in the novel construction and assemblage of partssuch as will be first fully described, and specifically pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the improvedspike-extractor. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the fulcrum-post shown invertical section, also showing the circular groove in the cap and thepivots becircular nut within'the groove of one of the jaws. Fig. 5 is aview of the under side portion of the oscillating jaws, showing thegrooves in each jaw. Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of thecircular nut on the end of the pivot. Fig. 7 is a detail view of thelower end of the operating-lever.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring to the drawings, A A are the separate oscillatingspike-extracting jaws, which are arranged substantially in parallelismside by side. The jawA consists of a straight bar, comparatively shortin length, the upper and under sides having flat surfaces a a,respectively. The forward end of the bar A, upon its under side, isinclined upwardly and forwardly at an oblique angle to the surface a andforms a bearing when the spike is grasped by the jaws. In the forwardend of the bar, directly above the inclined portion, is a recess a forthe head of the spike, which extends from the forward end of the bar inthe direction of the rear end a short distance and from the under sideof the bar to within a short distance of the outer side of said bar. Atthe extreme rear end portion of the bar A the inner side portionextending from the upper surface is inclined downwardly at an angle tosaid upper surface, as at a for the purpose hereinafter explained. Saidrear end of bar A is also inclined downwardly and inwardly in a curvedline from the upper surface of the bar, as at a on the inner side of thebar A. At a point equidistant from opposite ends of said bar is a groovea, extending from the upper surface a to the lower surface a of bar Aand conforming to the arc of a circle.

In the upper surface a of barAis a groove d, which describes an arc of acircle upon a line concentric with the groove a and from the samecentral point upon which said are a is drawn, said groove a beingextended from the inner side of bar A to a point near the outer side ofsaid bar.

In the under surface a of the jaw A is a groove a which is of the samedepth and is made in the arc of a circle described from the same centerand extending the same distance toward the outer edge of the bar asdescribed of the groove a The companion jaw A is constructed inprecisely the same manner as described of the bar A and the jawsarranged to present the spike-grasping recesses opposite in position.

following manner: Between the jaws AA in the respective grooves a ineach jaw is a pivot B, of considerable diameter, so as to keep the jawsA A a sufficient distance apart and enable said jaws to oscillate. Onthe upper end of the pivot B is rigidly connected a circularcap-plate 0,upon the outeredge portended annular flange c, which is fitted to andenters the respective grooves a in the upper surface a of the.respective bars or jaws A A. To the upper side of the cap-plate O isrigidly tion of which cap-plate is a downwardly-ex The jaws A A arehinged together in the connected the separate uprights or fulcrumposts 0-0 which extend in a vertical direction a short distance and near theupper ends are perforated transversely.

Between the f ulcrum-posts c c is arranged the lower end portion of theoperating-lever D, and through said lever and the perforations in thepivot-posts is inserted the fulcrum pin or bolt E, one end of which isprovided with a head and the other end extended beyond the outer sideportion of the fulcrum posts, so as to form a bearing for the foot inoperating the spike-extractor. Said bolt is held in the perforations bymeans of a split key 6. The lower end portion 1) of the pivot B extendsa short distance below the line of the under surface a of the respectivejaws A A and is screw-threaded. To said screwthreaded end of the pivot Bis fitted-a circular nut F. In the center of the nut is a screwthreadedopening f, which fits the screw threaded on the pivot B. Upon the outeredge of the nut F is an annular flange f, which is fitted to and extendswithin the groove a in the under surface a of the respective jaws A A.The outer surface of nut f is curved so as to afford a rockingbearing-surface. In the nut F is a set-screw f which contacts with thepivot B and prevents turning.

The lever D is composed of separate parts, the lower parts connectedwith the f ulcrumbolt E, extending a short distance in a verticaldirection. In the upper end of, the part of lever D connected with thefulcrum-post is a socket d, in which is fitted the lower end of avertical wood extension (1 said extension being secured by the sidestraps d 011 the lower part of the lever. The lower end of lever D,which contacts with the upper side of the cap 0 at its forward edge orin the direction of the end of the jaws A A, having the recesses a", isinclined from said edge upwardly and rearwardly, as at d, so as topermit the rearward movement of the lever. To the rear side port-ion oflever D, at a point a short distance above the line of the upper end ofthe fulcrum-posts c 0 is attached rigidly the upper end of the rib G,the other end of which rib extends outwardly and downwardly in a curvedline to a position between the inner inclined surfaces of the rear endsof the jaws A A and is inclined on each side downwardly to one edge,forming a wedge 9.

Between the jaws A A and the rear ends of said jaws is a spiral springl-I. One end of said spring is inserted in the inner side of the jaw Anear the pivot B and the other end inserted in the inner side of the jawA. Said spring tends to throw the forward ends of the jaws A'A together.

In'the operation of the improved spikeextractor the rear ends of thejaws A A are drawn together by the hand, the wedge being nearly out ofcontact with the inner surface of the jaws, and the forward ends of thejaws being open are inserted beneath the head of the spike. In thisposition of the jaws, which rest upon the forward inclined ends (t thelever D is also thrown forward. As soon as the head of the spike entersthe recesses a in the jaws A A the rear end of the jaws is released andthe spring I-l acts to close the jaws upon the spike. The lever D isthen seized by the hand and power applied thereto, the foot beingapplied to the bolt E and the jaws prevented from slipping. Thismovement of the lever D throws the wedge between the rear ends of thejaws A A, and the grasp of the forward end of the jaws is complete. Asthe spike is drawn from the seat in which it is embedded, the bearing istransferred to the nut F, and the friction removed from the inner sideof the jaws A A, so that by the further closing of the jaws, or when thegrasp is increased by the wedge entering to its full extent between therear ends of the jaws, the action of the jaws is not retarded, thehinged portion of the jaws turning readily upon the flanged portions ofthe cap 0 and nut F. The jaws are then oscillated upon the rear ends andthe spike removed.

The hinged connection enables me to lubricate the jaws and facilitatetheir action, the oil being retained in the nut F in sufficientquantity. The leverbein g pivotallyconnected near the jaws, a greaterpower is afforded to draw the spike. The separate parts of thespike-extractor being detachable are also removable, and as connectedmay be employed under circumstances which require great application ofpower without danger of brealc age. For thenut I use a fixed head orbearing.

The nut F may be locked in any other manner than herein described.

Ilaving fully described my invention, what I now claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a spike-extractorcomposed of oscillating spike-grasping jaws, an intermediate hingedconnection consisting of an intermediate vertical pivot, a cap-plateupon the upper end of said pivot, and a nut upon the lower end, andjointed circular grooves and flanges upon the upper and lower surfacesof said jaws and the inner surface of said cap and nut respectively, asand for the purpose described.

2. A spike-extractor composed of oscillating spike-grasping jaws, and'anintermediate pivot, a cap upon the upper end of said pivot and a nut onthe lower end, a fulcrum-post on said cap, and an operating-leverpivotally connected with said fulcrum-post, a rib on said lever having awedge at its extremity extending between the rear ends of saidoscillating jaws, and jointed circular grooves and flanges on the upperand lower surfaces of the said jaws and the respective inner surfaces ofsaid cap and nut, as and for the purpose described.

3. In a spike-extractor, the combination with the oscillatingspil're-graspin-g'jaws having grooves in the upper and lower surfacesIIO of said jaws in the arc of a circle, an intermediate vertical pivotconcentric at its circumference with said grooves, a cap-plate upon theupper end of said pivot, and a nut on the lower end, and a fulcrum-poston said cap, and an operating-lever having its lower end extending tothe upper surface of said cap, and its rear edge inclined rearwardly andupwardly, and a rib on the said lever extending in the direction of andbetween the rear ends of said jaws, having oppositelyinclined sides,annular flanges on the under side of said cap-plate and the upper sideof said nut extending Within the grooves in the upper and lowersurfaces'of the respective jaws for the purpose described.

4. In a spike-extractor the combination with the oscillatingspike-grasping jaws having downwardly and rearwardly inclinedbearing-surfaces at their forward ends, and an intermediate verticalpivot, a cap-plate upon the upper end of said pivot, a fulcrumpost uponsaid cap-plate, an operating-lever pivotally connected with saidfulcrum-post, a rib connected with the lower end of said lever andextending between the rear ends of said jaws, said jaws having circulargrooves in their under surfaces, and a bearing for said jaws connectedwith the lower end of said pivot,and an annular upwardly-extended flangeon the upper side of said bearing, ex-

tending within the circular grooves in the respective jaws, as and forthe purpose described.

ARTEMUS WELSH. lVitnesses:

CHAS. O. ADAMS, A. L. GREER.

